Favorite Resturants in and around Portland (South Portland, Yarmouth: home, restaurant, prices)

[elston]

Thank you all for the suggestions! Sounds great! I cant rep anymore I have given out too many points in this 24 hours! (It is more blessed to give...).
I will have to make a list of the suggestions to take....hope i dont forget it!
Thanks again. signed: elston

[kellysmith]

I go to Portland about once a month to visit my daughter and one of the requirements is we go to a different restaurant, so I have some "speriance"

Fore St is highly rated, but the world class chef that was there is there no longer. It's still good, but pricey and not what it used to be.

Stay away from D'Millo's floating restaurant unless you are a tourist not knowing where to go. Pricey and pricey...

Same goes for Old Port Sea and Grill on Commercial. Good food, but too pricey...there is better.

Now for my favorite "better" restaurant. Check out Front Room Restaurant and Bar on Congress St over on Munjoy Hill. Most incredible eating experience I've found in Portland. Their scallops are out of this world! They had some sort of honey-mustard sauce I seem to remember. Head and shoulders above anything I've found.

Close behind is Old Port Sea and Grille over in South Portland. Sits right on the water, so you can get an incredible view of the Portland skyline and great food, not overly priced. Probably my second favorite.

For lunch in the old port area, Gilberts as mentioned has incredible seafood chowder. It's a must to see and eat if you want to know how much seafood can go into a bowl of chowder.
Flatbread Co had great pizza cooked in a wood fired oven. Worth seeing for sure and don't shy away from the pizza with goat cheese, it's the best (even if it doesn't sound it)

Ri Ra's Irish Pub is good, especially if you want a pint of dark brew with lunch.

For breakfast you definitely should check out the Bayou Kitchen. It's out Forest Ave a mile or so from the Old Port area. Second best breakfast is a place called "Brea Lu" (at least I think that's how it's spelled) It's short for breakfast/lunch or some such thing. It's on Forest Ave as well.

Can't remember the name of the place, but I think it's on Middle St, and they have great pinni's and frys cooked in Duck fat. Those should be tried...they are delicious.

Also should mention Granny's Buritto on Fore St and for the life of me I can't remember the name of a restaurant, had "Pepper" in it. It was good, but different. No menu per say, only 4 or 5 dishes that they offer each day (and they change daily). It's a fun place...at least top ten, but by now you are full!

[elston]

Wow! wonderful recommendations Kelly.

No one mentioned a resturant that I did go to (my daughter-in-love) used to serve there and it was really good. The "Katahdin" near the museum. But I am saving the recommendations for the trip and for when we live in the area. They sound great. Thanks to everyone.

[K-Luv]

Ok,

Dimillos is all hype, most locals know to stay away as it is a tourist trap. But, one of the only places that come to mind for a lobster dinner (with steamers).

Old Port Grill is pricey, but the only other place that comes to mind for the lobster dinner.

Ri Ra's is a chain, but food is top notch. They serve both awesome pub food and more exotic style dinners. The place is supposed to be Irish, but a lot of the fare seems more British then anything. Recomended.

Gilberts. Eat here and you will be glad you did. It is a seafood grease spoon, but some of the best chowder in town.

3 Dollar Dewey's. This place is awesome. Mostly pub style food, but their tuna steak sandwich is effin awesome and so is the seafood chowder. Uh, I want some now!

Norm's. This place kicks butt in so many ways. It seems slightly upscale, but don't be fooled. The food here is top notch.

Granny's burritos is gone. But, there is Herb's Gully, which is pretty much the same thing.

Wild Burrito is cheap but tasty.

Hot Suppa is only open until 2pm, but they have the most awesome fried green tomato eggs benedict that I have ever had (they have traditional ones too, but not as good).

Local 188 can either be all hype or go far above it. Worth checking out.

Henry VIII's. A sandwich shop that is pretty good for something on the go.

The Great Lost Bear. This place is pretty cool, totally awesome food, and more beers on tap then you probably knew existed.

Silly's. This place lives up to its name, but the food is fantastic.

King of the Roll sushi. If you don't like sushi, then don't bother. If you do, then this is the best place in town for it.

Becky's Dinner......uh.......no. This place is an institution, but it is all hype. Their menu does not stand out in any way and I wouldn't bother unless you feel like eating $8 eggs and toast in what is more or less a greasy Portland landmark. Go to Denny's instead.

Avoid Big Momma's as well.

Rosie's bar has some of the best burgers in town.

I'll think of some more.....

[elston]

K-Luv I cant get over the generosity of your advice, my partner comments on the amount of time it takes to answer as fully as you all have! They put a kybosh on my repping for a time period!

[elston]

My son says the resturant that fries in duck fat is called "DUCK FAT" that makes sense.

[Maineah]

Maria's on Cumberland Ave. is a really good Italian Restaurant. Excellent veal. Gritty Mc Duff's is a good place for a beer but the food is kind of so so.
Sebago Brewing Company is a great place for lunch or dinner. It's pub fare on a large scale. The fish and chips is awesome. Try the stout! We like Katahdin too. The food is excellent there. We stole their idea for turnip and beets mixed together and mashed. We serve it at all of our holiday dinners now. It's pretty and very good. I love their whipped potatoes! I'm getting hungry!

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by elston

K-Luv I cant get over the generosity of your advice, my partner comments on the amount of time it takes to answer as fully as you all have! They put a kybosh on my repping for a time period!

That's okay. I'm not really into collecting reps anyways

Maria's--always wanted to try that place but I was under the impression that it was a Mafia joint.

yup, Duck Fat for duck fat.

[kellysmith]

Thinking of all the great places to eat in Portland is a good thing so here's some more...

Espo's (there are two of them) is great Italian

Vinny T's is as well. It's a chain started by Viinny Testeverdi. I have had awesome there and adequate, so don't know what that means.

Beverly's Kitchen was recommended to us...it's in Cape Elizabeth, but I wasn't impressed at all. It wasn't bad, just the hype made it seem like it was going to be better.

The Pepper Club is the one I was trying to think of earlier. Kind of neat, no menus...the waitress recites what they are serving...and you make a choice. There are chalkboards on the wall describing the different offerings.

Dogfish is good. (two of them as well) I like the decor of the one on Spring St, but food better in the one near the Greyhound bus depot (can't remember the street)
Branching out a little, Casa Novella (think that's the name) is one of the best Italian restaurants in the area, that's in Westbrook on Main St. There's a new Mexican restaurant on Main St in Westbrook too that's really good if you want Mexican. You will get a true Mexican experience there. All the servers appear to be transplants from South of the Border.
Weathervane out by the Mall is a chain in ME and NH and offers up typical Maine seafood. Really fresh, excellent price, but basic taste...I'm off to the Front Room if I want seafood!

[Binkygirl]

Hello --

We were there in October. We enjoyed Brian Boru - its' a pub w/ great food! Also we ate at "The Armory". It's the bar/restaurant in the Portland Regency Hotel.

Also - you must go to Flatbread Pizza on Commercial Street (it's on the water)!! AWESOME food, atmosphere, etc.

Have fun!